Ruka
Ruka Hair is a London-based biotech beauty brand founded in 2020 that develops and sells hair extensions and haircare products for the textured hair community, anchored by its patent-pending collagen-based Synths 2 fiber and distributed via DTC e-commerce, Selfridges, and international shipping.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Ruka does
Ruka Hair Ltd is a London-based biotech beauty brand founded in 2020 by Tendai Moyo and Ugo Agbai, specializing in hair extensions and haircare products for the textured hair community. The company's core innovation is Synths 2, a patent-pending collagen-based biodegradable fiber engineered to mimic the look and feel of human hair while being hypoallergenic and addressing sourcing concerns associated with traditional synthetic extensions. Ruka's product portfolio spans human hair extensions (clip-ins, bundles, wigs, ponytails), Synths 2 braiding hair (Textured Straight and Bone Straight variants at $27-30 per unit), hair perfume (S/cent line at $45), the Wet Products Lab haircare range, and styling tools and accessories. The brand operates a hybrid distribution model combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce via its Shopify storefront, a Ruka Curly Bar concession inside Selfridges on Oxford Street (making it the first Black-owned hair extension brand in that retailer), and international shipping to 200+ countries.
Ruka generates revenue through one-time product sales and a recurring Curly Girls Club membership (~3,000 members paying £20 monthly for store credit, discounts, and IRL events), with subscription contributing an estimated ~£720K ARR. The brand employs 11-50 people and has raised $10 million across multiple rounds, including a $4.5 million seed round in May 2026 co-led by Freedom Trail Capital and Henkel Ventures, with participation from Big Issue Invest, Backed VC, and Olympic medalist Dina Asher-Smith. Marketing is community-led across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook, supported by PR in Vogue, Business of Fashion, Glamour, Elle, and the Financial Times. The company projects 101% year-over-year revenue growth by April 2027, driven by planned US expansion including entry into an undisclosed major American retailer in late June 2026, despite the US already representing 47% of its customer base. Ruka holds the position of the number one Afro hair extensions brand in the UK and received recognition at the Business of Fashion Business of Beauty Global Awards 2025.
Ruka firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ruka
- Legal name
- Ruka Hair Ltd
- Website
- https://rukahair.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Ruka Hair is a London-based biotech beauty brand founded in 2020 that develops and sells hair extensions and haircare products for the textured hair community, anchored by its patent-pending collagen-based Synths 2 fiber and distributed via DTC e-commerce, Selfridges, and international shipping.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ruka industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hair Extensions and Textured Hair Care
- NAICS
- Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120), Health and Personal Care Retailers (4561)
- SIC
- Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hair Extensions, Wigs & Hairpieces (CRABABAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Hair Fragrance & Finishing (Mists, Shine, Anti-frizz) (CRABABAM), Wig Styling, Customization & Maintenance (HSALAAAL)
Keywords
Where Ruka is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ruka business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct-to-consumer e-commerce: Ruka sells hair extensions, wigs, braiding hair, ponytails, and hair care products directly through its Shopify e-commerce storefront (rukahair.com), with per-unit and product-line pricing. The primary revenue stream is product sales to consumers.
- Curly Girls Club membership subscription: Ruka operates a membership model called Curly Girls Club with approximately 3,000 members paying £20 monthly for store credit, discounts, and access to IRL events.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Synths 2 braiding hair - per unit pricing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | S-cent Hair Perfume |
| Subscription | Monthly | Curly Girls Club membership |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Ruka product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ruka Hair designs, develops, and sells hair extensions, wigs, braiding hair, ponytails, hair perfumes, and complementary haircare products for consumers with textured (Afro, curly, coily) hair. Its core differentiator is the patent-pending Synths®2 collagen-based biodegradable synthetic fiber, offered alongside Remy human hair extensions and supporting styling tools. Products are sold direct-to-consumer through the rukahair.com Shopify storefront and at the Selfridges London concession, with international shipping to over 200 countries.
Product overview
Ruka is a biotech beauty brand specializing in hair extensions and haircare products for the textured hair community. The company offers two core hair extension lines: Human Hair Extensions (Remy human hair with texture matching) and Synths®2 (patent-pending collagen-based biodegradable synthetic fiber). These are supplemented by a range of product types including clip-ins, bundles, wigs, ponytails, and braiding hair. The brand also offers complementary products including S/cent Hair Perfumes, Wet Products Lab haircare, and styling Tools & Accessories. Ruka operates a Curly Girls Club membership program and stocks products at Selfridges London.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Synths®2: Proprietary protein-based fiber hair extension product line made from collagen, biodegradable and hypoallergenic.
- Wet Products Lab
- Curly Girls Club
Products and services
- Human Hair Extensions Remy human hair extensions offered in texture-matched styles for the textured hair community, sold as clip-ins, bundles, wigs, and ponytails.
- Synths®2 Hair Extensions Patent-pending lab-grown protein-based fiber made from collagen that is biodegradable and hypoallergenic, designed to mimic human hair while avoiding traditional extension material concerns. Available as braiding hair (Braid-it Synths 2 in Textured Straight and Bone Straight variants) and related extension formats.
- S/cent Hair Perfume Hair fragrance products including Joburg Spritz and Dakar Night, designed to add scent to hair without damage. Priced at $45 per unit.
- Wet Products Lab Haircare Haircare products for wet and damp hair styling and maintenance, complementing Ruka's hair extension portfolio.
- Tools & Accessories Styling tools and accessories for hair extension installation and maintenance.
- Curly Girls Club Membership Subscription membership program offering members £20 per month in store credit, discounts, and access to in-person events and braiding masterclasses. Approximately 3,000 members as of the most recent reporting.
Quantifiable outcome
- 101% projected year-over-year revenue growth by April 2027
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Ruka
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Ruka technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Ruka partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- GymsharkminorRuka participated in Gymshark's 'Twist n' Sets' pop-up salon in Shoreditch, London in December 2024, alongside other textured hair brands. The event addressed haircare challenges for Black women during fitness activities.
- Design EssentialsminorDesign Essentials sponsored the Braid-It Reloaded MasterClass hosted by Ruka at Stā Studios in August 2024, targeting independent braiders and salon owners.
- Stā StudiosminorStā Studios served as the venue for Ruka's Braid-It Reloaded MasterClass in August 2024, supporting the brand's community and education initiatives.
- South West Six SalonminorEducators from South West Six Salon led braiding training sessions at Ruka's Braid-It Reloaded MasterClass, contributing professional expertise to the brand's community education initiatives.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ruka competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- UniWigs: Direct-to-consumer wig and hair extension retailer offering a broad range of human hair and synthetic wigs with texture variants. Operates globally with a similar e-commerce-first model and comparable price points to Ruka.
- Zala Hair Extensions: Premium hair extension brand selling clip-ins, tape-ins, and wefts direct to consumers worldwide. Comparable on product category, premium DTC positioning, and international shipping model.
- Glam Seamless: Direct-to-consumer hair extension brand offering tape-ins, clip-ins, and wefts in a range of textures. Comparable on premium positioning, e-commerce distribution, and influencer-led growth strategy.
- Bold Hold: Brand specializing in lace wig adhesive and accessory products for textured hair and wig wearers. Direct overlap on serving the textured hair extension and wig community with adjacent, complementary product categories.
Emerging players
- Pattern Beauty: Beauty brand co-founded by Tracee Ellis Ross serving the textured and curly hair community with styling products and tools. Highly comparable on target consumer (textured hair community), premium positioning, and DTC-plus-retail model.
- Mielle Organics: Textured hair care brand offering a range of styling and treatment products targeted at the same textured hair consumer as Ruka. Comparable on target market and growing retail presence, though focused on hair care rather than extensions.
- Olaplex: Hair science-forward brand focused on bond-building haircare technology. Comparable on science/biotech-led brand positioning and premium pricing in hair care, though Olaplex focuses on hair repair rather than extensions.
- Akt London: Biotech-led premium deodorant brand co-honored with Ruka at the 2025 Business of Beauty Global Awards. Comparable as a fellow emerging science-driven beauty brand with similar premium positioning and sustainability narrative.
Broad incumbents
- Cantu: Established mass-market textured hair care brand owned by Mando. Targets the same textured hair consumer as Ruka but with a much broader product portfolio across styling, treatment, and children's lines at lower price points.
- Dark & Lovely (L'Oréal): L'Oréal-owned mass-market brand specializing in haircare and styling products for women of color, including relaxers, color, and extensions. Direct overlap with Ruka's target consumer and product categories, but at a much larger scale and lower price point.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ruka social profiles
Digital presenceRuka financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ruka leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Ruka funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ruka M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ruka
What does Ruka do?
Ruka Hair designs, develops, and sells hair extensions, wigs, braiding hair, ponytails, hair perfumes, and complementary haircare products for consumers with textured (Afro, curly, coily) hair. Its core differentiator is the patent-pending Synths®2 collagen-based biodegradable synthetic fiber, offered alongside Remy human hair extensions and supporting styling tools. Products are sold direct-to-consumer through the rukahair.com Shopify storefront and at the Selfridges London concession, with international shipping to over 200 countries.
Is Ruka a public or private company?
Ruka is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Ruka founded?
Ruka was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ruka based?
Ruka is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Ruka make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Direct-to-consumer e-commerce is the primary driver. The others are curly Girls Club membership subscription.
Who are Ruka's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are UniWigs, Zala Hair Extensions, Glam Seamless and Bold Hold. Emerging players are Pattern Beauty, Mielle Organics, Olaplex and Akt London. Broad incumbents are Cantu and Dark & Lovely (L'Oréal).
Does Ruka have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ruka.
What industry is Ruka in?
Ruka's product category is Hair Extensions and Textured Hair Care. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRABABAH, Hair Extensions, Wigs & Hairpieces, with a secondary code of CRABABAM, Hair Fragrance & Finishing (Mists, Shine, Anti-frizz). Its NAICS code is 456120 and its SIC code is 2844.